RI Submits Last Minute Amazon HQ2 Proposal, Commerce Refuses to Disclose Incentives
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RI Submits Last Minute Amazon HQ2 Proposal, Commerce Refuses to Disclose Incentives
Rhode Island Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor said:
“The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation today is submitting a proposal for Amazon’s HQ2 on behalf of the State of Rhode Island, its municipalities, and the Partnership for Rhode Island. The proposal includes sites in our capital city as well as across the Ocean State. Our application package lays out the partnerships, business climate, quality of life and incentives that make Rhode Island attractive – and make our proposal competitive.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“ We are posting our website, which was created for this purpose, as well as releasing a list of submitted locations and key renderings. We will not be publicly releasing the detailed materials that are subject to negotiation.
“Rhode Island universities collaborate frequently and we are grateful to them for coming together on one of the key initiatives in this proposal: ‘Amazon Academy.’ We envision Amazon employees obtaining the professional development and continuing education they need to advance Amazon’s goals through this initiative. The Academy will braid together offerings from Rhode Island’s colleges and universities and will serve as a one-stop-shop for Amazon employees to access programming that is tailored to the company.
“We want to thank our partners across state government, the Partnership for Rhode Island, municipal leaders, Chambers of Commerce and the business community for cooperation and collaboration in compiling this proposal.”
Submitted Locations:
Providence
Pawtucket-Central Falls
East Providence
Warwick
North Kingstown
Richmond
Woonsocket
7 Reasons Why It’s Smart for Amazon to Select Providence
Uber and Airbnb CEOs Claim RI Pedigrees
Uber and Airbnb are arguably two of the most disruptive and innovative companies in the United States and both of their leaders are Providence educated.
RI ranks as the third worst state for retaining its college grads. According to AOL Finance, nearly 70 percent of Rhode Island college grads leave the state.
We produce the smart kids. Amazon would keep them here and bring more in.
Uber’s new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is a 1991 Brown grad and Airbnb’s CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky is a RISD grad.
Chesky earned a Bachelor's of Fine Arts from RISD in Industrial Design in 2004.
Raimondo is Good at Giving Away Money to Out-of-State Companies
Amazon will make its selection based on a number of factors, but the number one factor will be who puts the best deal on the table.
Governor Gina Raimondo has given out hundreds of millions of dollars to a sweeping array of companies - Wexford, Virgin, GE, and Johnson & Johnson.
Wexford is still stalled and GE's jobs may be at risk as the company is looking to implement major cost saving measures.
We Have Space
There are not many cities that could host a campus inside the city that could house 50,000 workers, but Providence, with a little creativity, might be able to pull it off.
Between the Superman building, 195 land parcels (and toss in all of Kennedy Plaza) - there is space. Superman can house upwards of 3,000 employees and 195 has 26.41 acres of available land and 6,367,264 square footage.
Who would have thought that our inability to get anything done could turn into a competitive advantage?
Location, Location, Location
Providence is perfectly located to be able to reach more than 55 million people in the Northeast -- and with Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods, there is a greater strategic importance here.
Amazon has added 900 high paying tech jobs in Boston and 1,800 in warehousing and logisitics jobs in Fall River, but Boston cannot provide the space and Fall River cannot provide the educated work force.
Enter Providence.
Transportation Infrastructure
The growth of T.F. Green and the addition of nearly 20 direct flights, including international flights is a game changer. A year ago, Green offered 17 direct flights and now it is 35.
Providence's proximity to I-95, I-195, and I-295 gives ground access to the region. In comparison to cities like Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore -- Providence-metro area congestion pales in comparison.
Quonset and the Port of Providence add additional infrastructure resources. Planes, trains, automobiles (and boats) -- Providence is well situated, and accessible. See the next slide.
Boston, a Suburb of Providence
For years, economists have talked about Providence's economy being tied to Boston's success. But, Boston is jammed packed, expensive, and nearly at construction capacity.
Boston has one of the five lowest commercial office space rates in America. Hard to see how Boston could add 50,000 workers.
Conversely, tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders - many of the most skilled in the state - are traveling daily to Boston for their jobs and to benefit from the higher pay.
Amazon's HQ2 would transform Providence and create a much more peer and inter-related regional business powerhouse.
Game Changer - Samuel Slater, Part II
Winning Amazon's HQ2 would be the most transformative change to the Rhode Island economy since Samuel Slater arrived in Rhode Island in 1789.
Rhode Island's political infrastructure can be petty and divisive, but the opportunity to bring in an absolute game-changer might be the motivation for all of Rhode Island to join together.
"Frugality drives innovation, just like other constraints do. One of the only ways to get out of a tight box is to invent your way out." -- Jeff Bezos
